The App Economy: Making Sense of Platform Power in the Age of AI

by Konrad Kollnig

Overview

Mobile apps have transformed how we live, work and connect – but at what cost?

This book examines the immense power Apple and Google wield over society, arising from their control of app stores as well as mobile operating systems and browsers. With the EU’s new Digital Services Act defining their influence as a potential “systemic risk,” Konrad Kollnig unpacks the implications for competition, privacy and regulation.

Offering a clear roadmap for scholars as well as policy-makers, this book not only reveals the hidden risks of app ecosystems but also outlines practical solutions for ensuring fairer digital markets.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781529247701
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	02/24/2026
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x (d)

About the Author

Konrad Kollnig is Assistant Professor in Technology Law at Maastricht University.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction: Welcome the Rulers of the App Economy

Part I: Foundations

2 An Introduction to the App Economy for Non-Techies

3 A Brief History of the App Economy: From Landline to AI

4 The Legal Framework of App Stores

5 App Research with Technical and Legal Methods

Part II: Risks

6 App Monetisation and Moderation

7 (The Lack of) Data Protection, Privacy and the Rule of Law

8 Health, Autonomy and Addiction

9 Smartphones on Wheels? Sustainability of and beyond the App Economy

Part III: Conclusions

10 How Apple and Google exert their Dominance over Society

11 How to respond to Apple and Google’s Dominance

12 Concluding Thoughts: Building App Infrastructure to Withstand Geopolitics